Guided tours in a handful of exciting locations such as Uganda, Morocco, Nepal and Austria.

Do-It-Yourself Options

Usually you’ll embark on a do-it-yourself once you have some experience and confidence on the river, or are a more free spirited traveler who wants an adventure without the company of guides. This may require having all your own gear and camping equipment and putting in a lot of pre-trip planning time. You can get a lot of information and advice off the Internet about routes and possible portage areas. But you will need extensive experience, skills and risk tolerance to feel comfortable going remote.

Alternatively use an operator that helps set up self-guided trips. This is a good way of getting remoteness while also providing some assurance against the risks involved. These operators spell out a route and trip length that match your skills, provide maps, the equipment and advice for doing it successfully. They will also notice if you don’t come back and take some action to find you!

If it’s your first do-it-yourself experience you may want to start on short trips on calm water. You should also look out for a canoe outfitter that provides everything you need from canoes, paddles and life jackets to a drop off / pick up service.